‘The one bottle that changes everything’

Wine specialist Noah May discusses the wines that collectors look for — and why

‘Wine is something that changes and evolves,’ says Christie’s specialist Noah May, speaking from New York’s Landmarc Tribeca restaurant. ‘The difference between a young wine compared to that same wine at 20, 50 or 100 years of age... is an extraordinary journey.

‘Collectors are looking for wines that are balanced, and that have the ability to age and evolve,’ he continues. ‘The old saying is that there is no such thing as great old wines, just great old bottles, and collectors are constantly searching for that one bottle that changes everything.’

From there, May advises that a collector might move into a region such as Burgundy, with its ‘lighter, more delicate wines’. A bottle of Faiveley, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze from 1976 (7 bottles per lot. Estimate: $1,300-1,600) might, he says, be ‘difficult to understand and enjoy at first, but in the eyes of many collectors it’s the absolute zenith in terms of wine appreciation’.

One of the most interesting types of rare wine sold at Christie’s is Madeira. ‘[They] are absolutely singular,’ says May, looking at a bottle of HM Borges Terrantez from 1842 (2 bottles per lot. Estimate: $2,000-3,000). ‘What’s amazing about [them] is that they are practically indestructible.’

‘Wine has been an integral part of culture for centuries,’ May concludes, ‘and these days more collectors enjoy finding wines that offer experiences that you might not find in other regions. It's an exciting time to be involved in wine, and to be a wine drinker.’